Sepulcher.



E. IVI. TREAT.

SEPULCHER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.2I. 1916.

Patented Sept. l1, 19N.

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SEPULCHER.

APPLlcMsoN man Mcm. 1916. w@ 19am-@dam my my.

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ELLIS M. TREAT, OF BUFFAL, NEW YORK.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept.. ilil, 19t?.

Application led December 21,1916. Serial No. 138,243.

To all whom t may concern:

Bc it known that l, Ennis M.: TREAT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sepulchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sepulchers and has special reference to an underground concrete sepulcher.

Sepulchers have been constructed of concrete and have had metal linings both in the body and the top but I have found that such sepulchers were defective even when thfe metal top was soldered to the body lining, the defects being in part due to the fact that the top lining was not interlocked with the metal part of the body so that the soldered joint would spring and leak.

@ne importantobject of the invention is, therefore, to so improve the construction of sepulchers of this description that the joint between the metal portion of the top and body will be an interlocking joint throughout and will be so constructed as to receive and retain the solder.

Another defect existing in the usual construction of sepulehers resides in the fact that, even after sealing with solder and concrete the top can be separated from the body with practically no diilculty.

A second important object of the invention is, therefore, to so interlock the top and body with a metallic interlock that only by the destruction of the sepulcher can access be had to the interior whereby the remains interred may be kept inviolable.

Furthermore, in the usual construction of sepulchcrs, as above referred to, any defect in soldering which does not hold the metal parts of the top and body permits access of moisture to the sepulcher and the passage of any gases due to decomposition therefrom. A third object of the present invention is to so improve the construction of sepulchers as to provide a continuous interlocking joint, uniting all parts of the upper edge of the metallic part of the body with the metallic part of the top, so constructed that the joint will form a substantially L5-shaped trough whereinto solder may be poured and thus eliminate the possibility of any gaps or holes being left which would permit the passage of moisture or gas whereby the remains are preserved free from extraneous moisture and the sepulcher is thoroughly sanitary.

. ticularly noticed that these With the above and other objects in view, as will be hereinafter set forth, the invention consists in general of certain novel combinations of parts and arrangements of details hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and z Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a sepulcher constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail cross section particularly showing the interlocking joint and the arrangement of the arch forms to permit springing the parts of the joint together.

Fig. e is a detail perspective view of certain of the arch forms.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the body of the sepulcher before the top is applied. thereto.

ln the construction of a sepulcher the body is first made by casting in suitable forms an outer shell l0 of concrete. ln this outer shell is fitted a lining 1l of copper or other suitable material having a high degree of resistance to corrosion under the conditions to which it is subjected. The upper edge of this lining projects above the shell and is turned inward throughout its entire length to form an inverted U-shaped flange 12. The body is then completed by forming within the lining of the outer shell an inner shell 13, the top edge of which is substantially level with the outer shell.

rlhe forming of this body may be accornplished either a situor at a distance from the grave, the body of the sepulcher being, in the latter case, transported tothe place of burial and set in position.

On the tcp edge of the inner shell are then positioned the extremities of the transverse arch forms le and longitudinal ties 15, the latter serving to hold the arch forms in proper spaced relation. It is here to be parparts are of such lengths that spaces are left between their ends and the upper edge portion of the metallic part of the body. The purpose of this will be presently brought out.

In order to provide for covering the body a top lining of sheet copper or the like is pressed to shape to provide a body portieri edge curved out and up to form a. U-shaped trough 18. The outside. dimensions over all ofthis top lining are greater than the inside dimensions of the flanged part of' the metal portion of the body so that, in order to bring the parts. together it is necessary to spring the flange. 17 oli the top` inward and downward and it is to permit this springing that the ends of the. top forms and ties terminate in the spaced relation to. the. metal: oli the body. rlhe natural resiliency of theA metal causes the. flange 17' to spring out again after this operation sor that the. parts assume the inter-locked position best seen. in Fig,-

After this operation is completed the trough 18. is lilled with` a suitable4 molten solder 19- and, since the solder is received in a. trough, thissolder willA spread out and completely seal` the joint throughout its. en.n tire extent.

Now, with. this solder in. position and solidified there is no way to spring the joint apart but the. metallic. portion of the sepulcherbecomes substantially an integral sheet.

In order to protect the top it is preferred to coverit entirely with a layer of concrete 20` Ihenthis is done the sepulcher` is. not alonehermeti'cally sealed but only by violent attackcan any part beV separated. lirom ans other sincey it is necessary to cut away bothconcrete and' metal.,

In order to. additionally reinforce the joint and assist inpreventingaccess otmoisture. the` top may be. connected? toV the. body portion byy a tongue and.' groove joint 21, which allows` perfect seating of the top to they body, and.` a. filling of cement therebetween..

It will be noted that, while the concrete has been. shown in thepresent drawings without any other reinforcement than that altorded' by the. metallic body and top. portions, yet the construction willapplyT equally well and without change. tofconcrete which is. reinforced. I have not deemed it necessary-to. showv any reinforcing,- however,- as the sameis oldi and well known.

It willialso be notedl thatA the thickness of this concrete top. removes any danger of,

Genies ofathispatentmaybe. obtained for breaking down due to the 4dropping oi' earth Y and stones upon it when filling in a grave.

`lurther-incre, this instance is enhanced by reason of the fact that the concrete top rests tightly on the metal top which vin turn is tljioroughly supported from beneath by the wooden arch members and the sides of the body.,

There has thus been provided a highly ellicient constructionl oli their-ind described and for'tlie' purpose specified. Y

It is. obvious that m-i?n-or.- changes maybe made. in this construction without ydep arting from the principles. involved therein, It is not therefore. desired. to. conne. the invention to that shown. and: specifically described, but it is wished to include all sueltas properly come. within` the scopeV claimed.

Having thus described the inyention, what is claimed, isis: l Y

1. A sepulcherl havinga metallic body portion provided with an.A inwardly and downwardly turned' flange alongl its entire uppered'ge, andE a topx for-said. bodyl having a. depending flange provided with anoutwardly and` upwardly turned?V edge constitutingsa continuoustrough and interlocking with the flange ofi the. body. f l

2i. A sepulchen Vhaving: a metallic j body portion. piiovidedl. with Van inwardlyandi downwardly turnedi flange along its 'entire upper edge,A a top. ton sai'di body; having al depending flangeprovi'd'ed with an 'outwardly andlupw'ardliyturned edge Vconstituting a continuoustrough and; interlocking with the. flange-of the body and a lling of solder in said'` trough` f f 3; A sepulcherl having` a metallic bod-yV portion providedi with i an inwardly and downwardly turned. flange along-its entire Y upper.V edge, a top. for saidE bod. having a depending flange. proyidedlwitj l Y an outwardly and.' upwardly tur-ned edge constituting.' a continuous trough andi interlocking with the flange; offrt'her` body, an outer shellj of concrete substantially Vsurrounding the body but terminating.v short-` of theA flanoe, anA inner` shell of' concrete within they bodlf, and: a covering of concreter oversaid top andf inclosing ythe interloelringl oint between. the top and: body In testimony whereofl` afiiX my signature in the'presence. oftwoswitnesses;

Witnesses z Gnoncn EL Wisoii, Y JjoH-N Kivonocn;

yecents each, by addressing-the Commissioner off` Patents; Washington, Il. (2,1 1

ELLIS TREAT; 

